The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-12-01

bargains an swellin' my bank accoun
! few dollars each week. i always wa
of thrifty turn, an it came easy t
lay by somethin', so do not speak o
it to make credit, only as a fact.
thought lots about the washin' day an
wondered what the two women het
said when the young torment he'd tol'
his ma. 1 always smiled when
thought on it, because Twas pretty SUR
the mistress didn't get the best of it il
words anyhow. An somehow, be
tween you and me, mistresses could
have a deal o plain speakin' done to
'em without havin' mere'n theil
share.
But one afternoon / drove into q
farmyard an come near runnin'
smash into another tin peddler es.
Enlistment that had got there ahead
of me. With due respect fer the fell
ler's rights, l was preparin' to turn
around an git out, when l heard a
voice that somehow seemed familiar:
You're a swindler," it was sayin'
IAN you know it! The bottom of that
kittle is just the poorest kind O. stuff,
an the nose has come off an been
fastened on again. 1 don't want to
trade with you, an 1 won't, so you
may as we'll go!''
'lts my little washtub beauty"
says to myself, wonderful glad, an
so it was. She followed the man, a
meachin', cross-eyed chap, to the door;
an could see she was almost as
angry as she was on the first mornin'
I'd seen her. She wasn't so pretty
this time either, for she he'd a towel
around her head, an faded-out calico
dress. an boots that was out at the
toes; but somehow my heart gave a
thump an was down off'n my wag-
gin in no time.
MAY be 1 kin make a trade with
you," 1 says, more jerky than ever
spoke before.
"Well, may be you can," she says,
eyein' me. l knew she was trying to
place me, but couldn't 1 wanted to
help her, but somehow couldn't find
the words. l could only bring out my
best kittles and knock off half the
regular price, on the ground that 1
wanted to dispose of 'em quick, SOS to
lay in new an improved stock.
1 was longin' to know if this was her
home, but couldn't think O. no way to
find out without askin' in so many
words, an that hadn't the courage to
do.
She handled the things carefully, but
all of sudden, when l thought she was
eXaminin' the nose of my biggest tea
kettle, she spoke up quick and sharp.
II know where I've seen you," she
said, at was when l doused that
Cranky. May be you don't
since you didn't lose your
temper an place; but losin' your place
makes you remember"
Somehow them words made me light
she'd remembered me!
81 recollect," said l, fast as ever l
could for the fit that seized my tongue,
IAN l wanted to shake hands with YOU.
He deserved all you gave, the varmintr'
She smiled little, and sighed, too.
alt lost me my place, of course"
she went on, takin' up a bread-pan an
turnin' it over. Iain't he'd the heart to
look up another one yet, so here am
at home, a-scoldin' one peddler an
tellin' my affairs to another. You must
have pretty poor opinion of me, an
no wonder"
She ended with little laugh, an
said she guessed they'd take the bread
pan an the smaller kettle.
"Do you calkerlate to stay round
home all summer" 1 asked, hating
myself because my face was gettin' red
as fire.
She answered back quite fierce:
81 shall stay till learn to manage
my temper better in tryin' times, which,
accOrdin' to present appearances, won't
be any too soon."
L said some peddlers was enough to
try the patience of saint, an then
grew redder'n ever, because I was
afraid she'd think / meant / was above
all SIGH, an an exception to 'em. But
she didn't seem to take it that way.
She laughed. an said there was ped
llers an peddlers.
Then we settled for the things, an
there bein' no excuse for my stayin'
longer. l went.
1said to myself a good many times
that day: ''She's got red hair, an she's
got a temper" but it didn't keep her
put o my head mite, nor hinder me
from gettin' round to that farmhouse
again in a week. This time we didn't
make no trade, but We he'd few words
D nonsense over, an we noticed the
hearty way things were CROWN.
1t was near twilight, an when 1
went away 1 had feelin' as if I'd
tucked bit o. peacefulness down in
my heart to make me glad and thank
ful in the dust and flies O. the road.
1t needed it putty often that summer,
Tor it grew to be dreadful dry season,
md the travelin' was vile. l he'd to 90
70 that farmhouse good many times;
It was no use tryin' to keep away, for
The thought o them bright eyes drew
ne there sure as honey draws bees.
made excuses an made excuses to
myself till l most forgot Twas Meth
'dist in good an regular standin'.
Then drew myself up short.
'It's no use, James Grimer' 1 said:
you've lost somethin'. an you won't
ind it unless YOU find it in them brown